Oh, when will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?
For hundreds of years now, we have had technological change. And for hundreds of years humans have been fighting it. Trying to reverse change and put Pandora’s evils back in the box. But that is where we go wrong. We see things that we do not understand and we label them as “evil.”
Humanity began maybe a million years ago. The first humans were hunters and gatherers. 10,000 or so years ago humans learned the art of agriculture. The Age of Agriculture lasted until the advent of machines and industrial technology. The Industrial Age began in the middle 18th Century. It lasted until the mid-20th Century. The next age to come was the Information/Computer Age. This age began about 1950 and by my reckoning lasted until about the middle 1980’s.
What I want to call the Age of the Internet began with browsers, world wide web and social media platforms in the middle 1980’s. The Age of the Internet lasted from about 1985 to 2020. A few years ago, computers became so powerful that no chess player or mathematician could stand against a computer. Computers can now outdraw, outfire and outshoot any human being. We have programs that can draw as good as most humans and write as good as most humans. We have now entered the Age of Artificial Intelligence.
Artificial Intelligences is defined as “The theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.” — Oxford Dictionary Online
As with all new technologies, from fire, to steam engines to airplanes to computers, the detractors are out in force. These are the people who cannot accept new technology. They see any changes as evil and want to put them back into the box. The lines are being drawn as to whether we will move forward or backwards with Artificial Intelligence. But there is no going backwards. You can never put the demons back into the box.
Oh, when will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?
A new Artificial Intelligence (AI) program called Chat GPT writes so well that one of the most sacred cows of education is being threatened. Students do not have to plagiarize anymore; they can simply ask Chat GPT to do an essay or address a theme for them and it will come up with some unbelievable results. I tried the program myself the other day and obtained some very remarkable results. I asked it the following questions: Chat GPT’s replies follow each of my questions.
John:
“What are the secrets to a happy life?”
Chat GPT:
As an AI language model, I can provide some insights on what research and studies suggest can lead to a happier life. Here are some of the most commonly cited secrets to a happy life:
- Cultivate positive relationships: Strong social connections and healthy relationships with family, friends, and community can bring joy, meaning, and purpose to life.
- Practice gratitude: Focusing on the good things in your life and being thankful for them can improve your overall well-being.
- Engage in activities that bring you joy: Pursue hobbies, interests, and activities that make you happy and give you a sense of accomplishment.
- Take care of your physical health: Regular exercise, healthy eating, and adequate sleep can boost your energy, reduce stress, and improve your mood.
- Develop a positive mindset: Cultivate a positive attitude and learn to reframe negative thoughts into positive ones.
- Set goals and work towards them: Having a sense of purpose and working towards meaningful goals can increase happiness and satisfaction.
- Be kind and help others: Acts of kindness towards others can boost your own happiness and well-being.
Keep in mind that everyone’s definition of happiness is different, and what works for one person may not work for another. However, incorporating these secrets into your life can help increase your overall well-being and lead to a happier life.
John:
“How do I get better at playing a musical instrument?”
Chat GPT:
Getting better at playing a musical instrument takes practice, dedication, and patience. Here are some tips to help you improve:
- Set achievable goals: Decide on specific goals you want to achieve and break them down into smaller, manageable steps. This can help you stay motivated and see progress over time.
- Practice regularly: Consistent practice is key to improving your skills. Aim to practice every day or several times a week, even if it’s just for a short period of time.
- Focus on technique: Make sure you have a solid foundation of technique and work on improving it regularly. Pay attention to your posture, hand and finger placement, and other technical aspects of playing.
- Listen and learn: Listen to recordings of skilled musicians playing your instrument and try to emulate their techniques and style. Attend live performances or watch videos of performances online to gain inspiration and insights.
- Seek feedback: Get feedback from experienced musicians or teachers who can help you identify areas for improvement and provide guidance on how to address them.
- Experiment with different styles: Try playing different genres of music to broaden your skills and keep things interesting.
- Stay motivated: Keep your passion for music alive by reminding yourself why you enjoy playing your instrument and setting new challenges for yourself.
Remember, improving your skills on a musical instrument takes time and effort, but with dedication and practice, you can make progress and achieve your goals.
John:
“Who was the greatest philosopher who ever lived?”
As an AI language model, I cannot provide a subjective opinion on who the greatest philosopher who ever lived was, as the answer may vary depending on personal beliefs, cultural background, and philosophical preferences. Additionally, different philosophers have made important contributions to various branches of philosophy, including ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, logic, and aesthetics.
Some of the most influential philosophers throughout history include Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and many others. Each philosopher has contributed to the field of philosophy in their unique way, and their ideas have shaped and influenced the development of Western and Eastern philosophy.
It is important to recognize that philosophy is a diverse field, and different philosophers have made significant contributions to our understanding of the world and our place in it. Ultimately, the choice of who the greatest philosopher ever lived is subjective and dependent on individual interpretation and perspective.
The replies to each of my questions were generated in less than two minutes for each one and probably closer to one minute. I don’t know what you think about each of these answers, but I was very impressed. I would probably say that they were just as good as I could have done if not better. We now have the power to perhaps make every living human being a genius in the sense that the questions one asks are more important than the answers.
Long ago, I learned that the essence of critical thinking is asking critical questions. I have never met a teacher who did not think that critical thinking was the most important skill a student could learn. Unfortunately for our students, schools are being run by politicians who believe that tests are critical for student learning. Every public school in the country must kowtow to ignorant politicians who measure learning by test scores. In addition, we have a primitive education system that treats all students the same and moves them all through a system of grades and courses with the goal of creating some uniform outcome. It has never happened, and it never will. Modern education curriculums should be tailored to the skills and goals of each individual student.
Oh, when will they ever learn? Oh, when will they ever learn?
We are now at another major crossroads in history. We can learn to use the best of AI to help humanity achieve its goals and objectives or we can engage in fruitless fights to stem the development of AI and to prohibit people from using it. There is no doubt that technology can have both positive and negative elements. However, we cannot address the negative elements of AI by ignoring the technology and or by pretending that it does not exist. We are in the 21st Century. Isn’t it about time that we learn from the past?
Aging Capriciously 
Feb 25, 2023 @ 22:29:49
I do value human relationships and connections and always will over AI. However… if I need a bit of humor in my day and I have no company around me… I turn to my Hey Google device and ask her to tell me a joke… Amazing how a device can engage just like humans! 🙂
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Feb 26, 2023 @ 09:11:35
My Alexa can tell my voice from Karen’s voice. I get a kick out of her responses sometimes. I also do the joke thing. I have become so dependent on Alexa for weather and factual data that I don’t know what I would do without her. My Alexa has a female voice so I say her. Thanks for the comment. They are amazing. John
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Feb 25, 2023 @ 22:51:08
Chat GPT is a great AI that can write very well.
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Feb 26, 2023 @ 06:59:51
ChatGPT really is impressive, isn’t it?! Mind you, it’s only as good as the database it’s give to work with. I think you mean that the age of the Internet started in the 1980s rather than the 1908s (😏!), but I’m curious as to why you have it ending in 2020. Is that when you suggest we start the Age of AI, John? It would be nice if software developers would learn to properly test their constant changes to their interfaces a lot better before they concentrate too much on how they’ll incorporate AI, considering that people are being required to carry out more and more normal tasks through the Internet, including old folks who no longer have the wherewithal to learn new methods or do tasks without help, people with various disabilities, including poor sight, etc. The love of technology and of saving/making money by replacing employees with inadequately-tested technology is leaving plenty of people behind, starting with simple but necessary things like everyday banking. AI has some wonderful examples of success, for sure, but we’d better be careful that technology is serving the best interests of people (society) and not the other way around. Nice article!
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Feb 26, 2023 @ 09:08:59
Thanks Jane. I corrected my typo for 1980. I think AI is such a significant breakthrough that I can say with certainty, we have left the Age of the Internet behind us. We are only on the cusp of what AI can do. I have no doubt there will be many misuses. If the politicians get ahold of AI, there is no telling what idiotic bills or laws they will pass to try to regulate it. If the bottom line was “what is good for humanity” I could trust the outcomes. However, given politics in the USA today, it will not be what is good for humanity but what is good for their political party. An excellent book I read many years ago was by Jacques Ellul called the “Technological Society.” It is well worth reading. Many people have grappled with the issues your raise before us but it seldom seems they have been listened to. People seem to be left out of the solutions. John
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Feb 26, 2023 @ 11:16:12
I don’t disagree so much as despair.
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Feb 26, 2023 @ 07:10:17
I totally agree with you John and particularly like your comment about the importance of asking the right questions. In the future I believe technology will have advanced so that AI will be able to show emotions and feelings – a consciousness. If so, let’s hope the results are better than those of humans. Can’t be much worse in my opinion!
Am I a cynic or what?!! 🙂
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Feb 26, 2023 @ 09:02:50
Hi Margaret, I think you are a realist. Not sure about emotions but then I would not have ever seen what it can do today. John
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Feb 26, 2023 @ 09:39:49
Can someone ask a Chat GPT who or what is “The Beast” in the Book of Revelation?
I’d do it myself, but I ain’t getting anywhere near that S.O.B.! :v
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Feb 26, 2023 @ 09:46:15
But forget the Bible. I’ve read George Orwell’s “1984,” which was written in 1948, and I’ve seen Stanley Kubrick’s classic movie “2001, A Space Odyssey,” as well as the more pedestrian “Terminator” flicks, and I’m tellin’ ya, Man . . . I’M ON TO THOSE SUCKERS! 🙂 https://thehappynarcissist.com/2022/12/20/why-i-hate-computers-part-two/
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Feb 28, 2023 @ 07:16:36
C’mon, John . . . don’t chicken out now. 🙂 https://thehappynarcissist.com/2022/12/19/why-i-hate-computers/
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Feb 28, 2023 @ 13:49:15
Majik, It is always difficult to walk that line between courage and cowardice. I try to steer a
course to the side of courage but I don’t always succeed. John
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Feb 28, 2023 @ 13:52:49
You’ve always been a real ballsy blogger in my book, Dr. J., and you’ve proved that again by letting my comments go through . . . except for my first one about the Beast of Revelation, but I can’t blame you for blocking that one! 🙂
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Feb 28, 2023 @ 14:01:26
Majik, I did not block it. I just did not get around to it until now. Had two teeth pulled last week and came down with a bad cold the next day which I am still trying to overcome. I posted your query with the reply that Chat GPT gave. It was quite an interesting reply. I read the Book of Revelation several years ago but I must admit Chat GPT gave me a better understanding of the beast in terms of possible interpretations. I did not realize that there were two beasts. I must have missed that point years ago. John, back to bed now.
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Feb 28, 2023 @ 17:47:11
John, thank you for asking Chatty GBT about The Beast of Revelation, but the answer it gave you was what I would expect The Beast of Revelation to give you . . . both of them! 🙂
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Feb 28, 2023 @ 13:57:23
Majik, I asked Chat GPT the Question “Who is the Beast in the Book of Revelations?” I received
the following reply:
The “beast” in the Book of Revelation is a complex symbol that represents various things depending on the interpretation. In general, the beast is often viewed as a symbol of evil, chaos, and destruction.
In the Book of Revelation, there are two beasts mentioned. The first beast, which rises out of the sea, is often associated with political power and is said to have authority over the whole earth. This beast has ten horns and seven heads, and on each head is a blasphemous name. The second beast, which rises out of the earth, is often associated with religious power and is said to have the ability to perform miracles and deceive people.
Many scholars interpret the beasts as representing specific historical empires or rulers. For example, some interpret the first beast as representing the Roman Empire or the Antichrist, while others see it as a symbol of all oppressive political systems. Similarly, the second beast has been interpreted as representing false prophets or religious leaders who deceive people.
Overall, the interpretation of the beasts in the Book of Revelation is complex and has been the subject of much debate and speculation over the centuries.
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Feb 28, 2023 @ 13:58:02
My query to Chat GPT for your question Majik, gave me the following reply:
The “beast” in the Book of Revelation is a complex symbol that represents various things depending on the interpretation. In general, the beast is often viewed as a symbol of evil, chaos, and destruction.
In the Book of Revelation, there are two beasts mentioned. The first beast, which rises out of the sea, is often associated with political power and is said to have authority over the whole earth. This beast has ten horns and seven heads, and on each head is a blasphemous name. The second beast, which rises out of the earth, is often associated with religious power and is said to have the ability to perform miracles and deceive people.
Many scholars interpret the beasts as representing specific historical empires or rulers. For example, some interpret the first beast as representing the Roman Empire or the Antichrist, while others see it as a symbol of all oppressive political systems. Similarly, the second beast has been interpreted as representing false prophets or religious leaders who deceive people.
Overall, the interpretation of the beasts in the Book of Revelation is complex and has been the subject of much debate and speculation over the centuries.
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Feb 26, 2023 @ 17:53:19
This is a coincidence as just a few days ago Jennifer showed me a program she was using much more sophisticated than I have ever seen relating to Chatgbt. It truly amazed me. I thought how much it would help me in my own writing. I processed the idea and decided that was cheating. 😃Or not? Lol.
Very interesting John!
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Feb 27, 2023 @ 00:17:17
You’re right we are now at a major crossroads in history. We need learn to use AI to help humanity achieve its goals and objectives because you can’t put the genie back in the bottle
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Feb 28, 2023 @ 13:34:43
Thanks for the comment. John
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Feb 27, 2023 @ 05:58:34
Great post, John. Now, when AI can write more intelligent, interesting, entertaining blog posts than we mere bloggers, where does that put us?
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Feb 28, 2023 @ 13:37:56
Good question Barry, Maybe we can reach a period where we can all retire from actual work and do nothing but play all day long. Many people down here in Arizona say they are happy because they golf all they want to. Not my thing but Until AI starts winning all the Emmys, Oscars, Pulitzer prizes, Nobel prizes and Grammys, I am not too worried. John
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Feb 27, 2023 @ 12:07:57
Yep
I was impressed by the replies to my questions. They were just as good as I could have done if not better. We now have the power to perhaps make every living human being a genius in the sense that the questions one asks are more important than the answers.
Vince
https://links.aibotinfo.com
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Feb 27, 2023 @ 18:45:40
Oh John you have entered a very lively minefield here but I love the idea of entering a new age and I agree with the premise. I do think we are now firmly in the age of the internet and lots of people are being left behind without it so it begs the question of the age of AI. I do think we are definitely at the early stages but now because of AI it will increase exponentially.
Thus, I think the potential for large swaths of humanity to be left behind in a technology sense is very real. However, this then begs the question of what happens when such a scenario becomes reality. Will there be at least 2 levels of society (maybe that is already reality) and if so does that mean anarchy? Unless of course those in the upper echelons have enough common sense to dole out enough goodies to keep the rest of us living in a satisfied state and not rebel?
There is something for everyone for chew on here and keep us going for quite some time.
Thanks for your thoughts.
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Feb 28, 2023 @ 13:47:11
Thanks Wayne, you raise the most essential questions and those concern equity. Will the AI experts pull up the ladders when the Hoi polloi want to come in or will they somehow extend a welcoming and try to share the largesse? Remember Planet of the Apes? John
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